kingdom. I assume that is why you have both come to talk to me?” Katryna was hurt to say the words, yet a small part of her was proud for being able to reflect and accept the consequences of her mistakes.
“My lady,” Arthus Medonia said, “we wanted to thank you for all you have done for House Bower.”
Katryna had to clamp her jaw shut to prevent it from falling open with surprise.
“You successfully took down the assailants, my princess,” Jerrem Denar said, almost proudly. “You brought justice to the king and queen, and to Camridia.”
“You led us during a very dark chapter. Mistakes or not, you were the tip of the spear which brought us together.” Arthus Medonia stood tall like a statue before the princess with an expression of gratitude upon his face.
“I… I…” Katryna stuttered, completely speechless.
“We wanted to ask you to stay,” Arthus said.
“With Rowan having fled, your brother is going to need you when he awakens. We will need you.”
It was like a piece of Katryna’s heart suddenly fell back into place as the words entered her ears. The sense of belonging she had always longed for, ever since she was a child, was somehow bursting into existence before her.
The moment was broken by the sound of a galloping horse, its hooves clattering against the stone steps from behind.
Katryna and the others turned to see a Ravenrock guard atop a cream-coloured horse racing towards them, red-faced and sweating.
“Princess! My lords!” the guard shouted. They approached the mounted guard as he slowed to a stop, huffing to catch his breath. “I rode as fast as I could!”
“Take a breath, my boy,” Jerrem Denar said.
“What’s going on?” the High Sword asked.
Katryna immediately recognised the look in the guard’s wide eyes. It was fear.
“Stonesilt Harbour…” the guard stammered. “Something… is wrong… something… in the water.”
Without a second thought, Katryna took off rushing down the stairs towards the bailey with Arthus Medonia by her side.
“Stay with my brother,” Katryna called to Jerrem Denar.
She bolted out of the castle bailey, holding her dress up by the sides as she ran. The armour-clad Arthus huffed and puffed to keep his breath with the surprisingly fast Katryna.
As they raced down through Ravenrock, Katryna and Arthus began to hear growing commotion. Some townspeople anxiously murmured to each other. Others were running from the direction of the bay with expressions of horror upon their faces.
Arthus drew his sword. “Stay with me, princess. This isn’t right, at all.”
Katryna had a million thoughts race through her mind. What could it be? Was Ember attacking? Was it Rowan? Or was it something else? She fought down the dark pit of anxiety welling in her stomach as she ran, determined to figure it out.
The closer the pair got to Stonesilt Harbour, the louder the screams became. They pushed through the open portcullis that acted as the main thoroughfare between the city and the harbour, as well as being the only opening in the city wall to the area.
The area of town was normally quite lively- a hub of stevedores hauling goods on and off the variety of trade vessels at the docks, busy markets, taverns, and even a few brothels.
However, all Katryna and Arthus saw was turmoil as people darted in all directions through the red stone streets. Many wanted to see what was happening and chose to race for the water, their curiosity outweighing their fear. Some had the opposite reaction- wracked with concern and choosing to flee for higher ground.
“What is going on?” Katryna muttered. Her eyes zipped from person to person as she pushed her way through a growing crowd towards the waterside.
Nervous onlookers gathered along the waterside stone wharf of the harbour. Waves was sloshing against the docks as if a summer storm were raging. Yet the sky was clear. Large, uneven waves rippled out from a steaming, bubbling area of seawater a hundred feet out in the bay.
Katryna stood on her toes to see over the heads and shoulders of spectators curiously observing the strange water.
“Step aside, out of the way,” Arthus demanded politely, brushing his hands against them to make way. Guards were forming up around the harbour.
Katryna followed in his shadow, feeling a measure of security from being behind the burly soldier.
The boiling water sizzled and swelled and began to change colour. Rings of waves spread out from its centre.
“What is that?” Katryna gasped, having never seen anything like it.
The water grew darker from the epicentre before turning as black as night. Veins of darkness snaked beneath the surface of the water like eels, growing closer and closer to the seawall.
“Get back!” Arthus suddenly shouted, pushing the princess away. Onlookers shuffled back from the edge.
The submerged, eel-like bodies of darkness burst from the water, sending up columns of spray. A dozen black tentacles rose from the depths, snaking metres into the air. Their tips were armed with menacing barbs and hooks, their skin slimy and smooth.
The crowd screamed and backed away, stunned by the enormous tentacles rising before them. People tripped and fell over each other as they tried to escape. The tentacles appeared to randomly twitch with each loud noise and shuffle of movement, as if reacting to them.
Arthus held Katryna back behind him, raising his sword high, ready to strike if anything were to happen. The guards around the harbour had their weapons drawn as well, carefully approaching the hideous things. More rushed in from the nearby gate.
“Stay back!” Arthus taunted, his unblinking eyes focused on the spasmic, eel-like bodies.
Katryna glanced at all the people still around them, now potentially in danger. “Go! Leave, at once! Through the gate, back into the city!”
The tentacles launched into a frenzy.
